Cannot change App Store country

apps store can no change country

iPhone 8, iOS 15

Posted on Oct 17, 2026 10:43 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 18, 2026 10:05 AM

Hello ~If you are trying to zero your balance before changing regions…you may purchase an item from the App Store for more than your balance and the remainder will be billed to your credit card on file thus zeroing your balance . You may also go to lower left hand corner and click on Support and they can zero it for you or…


Contact Apple for support and service


Also if you are changing regions take a look through this article as well…


Change your Apple ID country or region - Apple Support


~Katana-San~

4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 18, 2026 10:05 AM in response to chng208

Hello ~If you are trying to zero your balance before changing regions…you may purchase an item from the App Store for more than your balance and the remainder will be billed to your credit card on file thus zeroing your balance . You may also go to lower left hand corner and click on Support and they can zero it for you or…


Contact Apple for support and service


Also if you are changing regions take a look through this article as well…


Change your Apple ID country or region - Apple Support


~Katana-San~

Oct 18, 2026 4:03 AM in response to chng208

Does it say why you cannot change country? The article Change your Apple Account country or region - Apple Support describes how to change your Apple ID country or region, and the requirements and results of doing this.


You may encounter various issues and here is how to deal with them:


● Remove all your Apple Account balance using one of these two ways (if you use the first one you do NOT need to contact Apple):

- Add a credit or debit card to your account and buy items (not subscriptions) just in excess of your remaining balance. This will use all the balance and any excess will get charged to the card.

- Use the link in this article --> Check your Apple Account balance - Apple Support to contact Apple about removing account balance. Apple will keep the balance.

If you cannot empty your account balance you will have to create a new Apple Account in your new country.


● Subscriptions

Make sure all subscriptions have been canceled (see: Cancel a subscription from Apple - Apple Support ) and have fully expired. If you do not want to wait, you will need to contact Apple and request any ongoing items you have to be ended immediately.

● Payment Methods.

In the first link above, Apple says: "You might need to enter a valid payment method for your new country or region.” Refer to the list in: Payment methods that you can use with your Apple Account - Apple Support Note that some payment methods in that list may not be acceptable to set as a payment method for country change purposes; for example, account balance. While Apple has through the years avoided making any unequivocal statement about the country origins of such a payment method, using one from a financial institution in your new country may be the easiest way to ensure you don’t run into problems.

● Pending purchases and refunds

If you have pending purchases, or refunds in the process of being returned to you, you will have to wait until these clear. You can canel a pre-order (see: View or cancel pre-orders for apps, movies, music, or books - Apple Support )

● Leave or disband any Family Sharing groups.

Refer to How to leave or remove a member from a Family Sharing group - Apple Support

● Read this support article If your Apple ID or other options are greyed out in Settings —> If you can't sign out due to restrictions, or your Apple Account is grayed out in Settings - Apple Support

For items where you need to contact Apple to resolve an issue, see if there are options for a live chat or telephone call at the bottom of this page --> Contact Apple Support - Apple Support Select your country. Not all countries have all options and telephone numbers tend to only work when calling from the same country.



Oct 18, 2026 3:08 AM in response to chng208

Thank you for reaching out. 🤗


There are many parameters that need to be taken before changing regions because currency valuation is not the same across various regions.


If you are changing regions:

  • Spend any remaining Apple Account balance: You can spend your remaining balance on the App Store, other Apple services or in some countries and regions, Apple products and accessories. If you’re not sure if you have a balance, check your Apple Account balance.
  • Clear a low Apple Account balance: If your balance is less than the cost of a single item in the App Store or other Apple services, learn how to clear your balance.
  • Cancel subscriptions that block a country or region change: Cancel any subscriptions that block a country or region change, then wait until the end of the subscription period. 
  • Wait for pending activity to clear: Wait for any memberships, pre-orders, movie rentals or Season Passes to complete. You can cancel a pre-order. Also wait for any pending refunds from Apple to process.
  • Check your Family Sharing status: If you’re a part of a Family Sharing group, you might not be able to change your country or region. Learn how to leave a Family Sharing group.
  • Have a valid payment method ready: You might need to enter a valid payment method for your new country or region. If you don’t want to enter a payment method, wait until you're physically in your new country or region. Then create a new Apple Account.
  • Redownload your content: Some types of content might not be available in your new country or region. Redownload your apps, music, movies, TV shows and books on any devices that you might use to play or read them in the future.
  • If you need to empty your balance: Contact Apple Support to request a reset of your account balance to zero.


For full details, learn how to → Change Regions for step-by-step instructions.


Good luck! 👋🏼😉

Smiliñ 😎 Brian | Community Volunteer

Cannot change App Store country

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